From the Other Side
by AlGiardino
Summary: Bones gets hurt and Booth is the one who has to wait and worry for a change. Starts very angsty, ends very fluffy. 4th in Gunfight series, but can stand alone. BB and some AH. FP Booth POV. Fluffy follow-up one-shot now up, "Not Fair."
1. Shotgun Blast

From the Other Side

Chapter 1

Shotgun Blast

'No, no, no…' I thought as I saw a shotgun barrel pointing out of a very dark room. It was quickly zeroing in on Bones.

Time seemed to slow down as my Ranger mode kicked in and plans of action flashed through my mind. If I shoot the gunman, the shotgun could go off and still get my Bones.

I moved, fast as I could, 'I have to take the hit…'

I spun around facing Bones the gunman at my back. I was directly between Bones and the threat. 'I'll take the shot in the back of my vest then Bones can shoot the bastard as he pumps the shotgun, excellent plan.'

But Bones knew what was happening, and she enacted a plan of her own. Almost the second that I stepped in front of her she quickly stuck her right foot between my legs and hooked it around behind my left foot, and then she pushed me as hard as she could. My back hit the floor in front her, my head nearly at the gunman's feet, just as the gunman fired.

Bones took the full shell of buckshot in the center of her vest.

"No! Fucking son of…" my gun rose, still lying on my back at the bastard's feet I unloaded my clip up and into him. Even after the gun clicked empty with the slide locked back, I still squeezed the trigger repeatedly trying to force more lead into the damn serial killer.

"Bones!"

I rose to my knees, the empty glock forgotten on the ground. Bones didn't reply to my shout. 'She is ok, she has to be ok. She has a vest.'

She was laying motionless a few feet away. She was barely breathing. I moved to her side. Realizing that she was unconscious, I quickly removed her vest. Looking for any injury that could explain why she wasn't still with me. There was nothing, she must have a few broken ribs, but Bones is tough why isn't she with me. "Bones! Bones, what's wrong, stay with me."

Blood, there was a pool of blood around her head. Not possible, I saw the only round fired at her hit her vest. "Help, somebody help me!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, 'where the hell is the tick tock team.'

As I looked up to call again for the team, I saw more blood. It was on a heavy metal doorknob that would have been in line with Bones head as she fell. "Help! Medic, get me a damn medic now!" I shouted as I heard heavy footfalls getting closer.

My stomach clenched. I could barely keep my lunch down. "Bones! Stay with me, Bones. It's ok, I'm right here. We'll get you a medic and you will be up and annoying me in no time. Bones, please."

There where people moving all around in the room now but I paid them no attention.

"Damn it Bones, it was supposed to be me! Wake up already!"


	2. Breakdown

From the Other Side

From the Other Side

Chapter 2

Breakdown

Finally, a medic kneeled down on her other side, "What happened?" he asked.

"She took a round of buckshot in the vest, she must have hit her head on that as she fell" I said indicating the door handle. The medic quickly went to work. "She is going to be ok, right?" I asked the medic. He didn't answer he just kept working with a grim look on his face.

Choking back tears I grasped Bones limp hand like a lifeline and continued to talk to her, shutting out all distractions. My attention was all on her, and her continued shallow breathing.

"Bones, you've got to wake up for me now, we are going to get some Thai food for dinner tonight, remember? You love Sid's cooking, you wouldn't want to stand me up now would you? You can have the remote and we can watch that god awful discovery channel while we eat, if you just wake up for me. Please, Bones."

She was lifted from the floor and gently placed onto a gurney. I rose with her snatching up her phone from where it had fallen from her pocket onto the floor. 'She will want this when she wakes up, she will wake up' I thought.

I ran alongside the gurney as we exited the old building and ran to a waiting ambulance. I was vaguely aware of someone shouting at me that I had to stay, something about protocol. Like that was going to happen.

I entered the ambulance with Bones. I continued to try to talk her into waking up for me as the medic continued to do his work on the way to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital quickly but of course it felt like ages since Bones had fallen.

We rushed through the automatic doors of the hospital, with me once again jogging alongside Bones. People were asking me questions and my brain registered that it may be important. "What's her name? Is she allergic to anything? Sir, her name?"

"Bones... Temp… Temperance Brennan, No she is not allergic to anything."

Suddenly, some one was pushing on my shoulders, pushing me away from Bones. My eyes narrowed and I prepared to deal with this quickly, but the stocky little battle axe of an RN pushing me spoke. "Sir, we need you to stay here, we can't help her with you there. Stay here, someone will be out to talk to you as soon as we know something."

Surrendering, I released Bones hand and another wave of nausea over took me. As the nurse quickly turned and ran to catch up with the gurney and Bones, I stood still, staring after trying to keep my lunch down.

I heard a slight crunch and realized there was something in my hand. Looking down I saw Bones phone, it had a cracked screen from where I had crunched it in my hand unknowingly. 'Angela should be here, the squints.' Opening the phone I saw that it was still functioning. I found Angela's number quickly and hit send.

"Hey Sweetie, did you two get the bad guy yet?" I hear after four rings.

"Angela, its Booth. Bones was hurt… we… are at the hospital. She is hurt."

"What hospital? Is she okay? Hodgins get your car, Zack get Cam!"

"We are at George Washington University Hospital. I don't know how she is, she hit her head, and they are working on her now. "

"Are you ok?"

"Yea, yea" I stuttered.

"Just stay calm Booth, everything will be ok. We will be right there, ok?"

"Yea, ok" I said and hung up. I then put Bones phone in a pocket.

I started pacing back and forth, back and forth wearing a line in the floor of the waiting room my mind a drifting aimlessly over what had happened. I had failed Bones again.

I ran to the rest room and finally lost that lunch I had been trying to keep down. A few moments later as I exited the stall with an empty stomach I passed in front of a mirror and noticed my reflection. There was blood on my hands, Bones blood. And then the tears came as I tried to scrub my hands clean. 'I can not let her see all this blood when she wakes up.'


	3. A Few Words with God

From the Other Side

Chapter 3

A Few Words with God

Twenty minutes later I heard the door creek open and Angela say, "Booth, are you in there?" Then she poked her head in.

She found me with my head in my hands on the floor where I had slumped down against the wall next to the still running sink. I had stopped crying. I had run out of tears some time ago, but it wasn't exactly a big secret that I had had a breakdown. Oddly enough, it did not even cross my mind to be ashamed of my condition.

"Oh, Booth. She will be ok, you'll see" she said as she came over. She shut off the running water then knelt down and pulled me into a hug. "Tempe is far too stubborn to be kept down for any length of time, you know that. Come on now lets get out of here."

I remained silent as she pulled me up and we walked out of the restroom into the waiting room where the other squints stood.

"What happened?" asked a slightly shaken Hodgins at seeing me.

"Shotgun… I tried to take the shot for her but she pushed me away. She was hit in the vest with buckshot. As she fell her head hit a door handle. I killed the man who hurt her. She was unconscious all the way here. They have her back there somewhere now. They won't let me be with her."

I couldn't stand the pain in there faces. All I could see was them hating me for not saving her. I couldn't be there with them. I had to move. I couldn't face them knowing that I had let her get hurt again. They called after me but I ignored them.

I walked seemingly aimlessly around the brightly lit hallways. I soon found myself in the hospital's little chapel. It was totally empty and eerily silent. I slowly and silently went through the motions like I had many times before. Kneeling, crossing myself, lighting a candle. Then I sat on one of the chairs, leaning forward with my elbows on the char in front of mine, I spoke to God with my rosary grasped tightly in my hands.

With a hoarse voice, I said quietly and evenly "God, I hope you are listening because this is important. I don't ask for much and I try to be the best man I can be. I know I have done horrible things and I don't expect forgiveness for any of that. I'm just trying to live what's left of my life, be a good father, and try to make up for my past the best that I can. I know it is my fault that she is hurt but if you take her from me, then that's it. I'm done, do you hear me? There will be nothing left of me. I can't do it without her. So, this is it, if you want me to keep going, getting the murders, than I expect, no I demand Bones. If you take her, then I will be following right on her heals like I always do. Amen."


	4. Silent Vigil

From the Other Side

Chapter 4

Silent Vigil

Crossing myself again I rose and moved to the door. Angela stood there waiting for me. Unknown to me, she had followed as I walked the halls of the hospital. It is a testament to how out of it I am that the sniper in me didn't feel her.

She had heard everything. She had a determined look to her but she did not seem all that surprised at the venting and the ultimatum I had laid at God's feet.

"Booth, it is not your fault. She will be fine. And I'll tell you something else, if you leave that boy of yours then you are not the man I think you are. But it's a moot point anyway because like I said she will be fine and I'm not letting you out of my sight until she is fine, do you hear me. Now, we are going back to the waiting room so that when the doctors come to tell us Tempe will be fine, we will be there to hear it, understand?"

She then put arm around my waist and guided me back to the waiting room were she made me sit down next to her as she sat next to Hodgins.

We all waited there silently. Angela sat between Hodgins and me, holding both Hodgin's and my hands. She looked stronger than I had ever seen her. Cam sat across the room staring off into space. Zack stood pacing the room aimlessly much as I had done earlier.

Two hours we sat there waiting, before we got news.

Eventually a young and exhausted looking man came in and said "Temperance Brennan."

Everyone was on there feet in front of him quickly. "Is she ok?" Zack was the first to ask.


	5. Thank God

From the Other Side

Chapter 5

Thank God

"She should make a full recovery" the man said with a satisfied smile. At this, Angela quickly broke down into heavy sobs and grasped Hodgins as if he were keeping her afloat. Hodgins released a few tears as he held on to a near hyperventilating Angela and tried to calm her. Zack and Cam visibly relaxed with relief.

I lost a few silent tears of my own as I asked, "When can we see her?"

"She will be sleeping off the anesthetics for a couple more hours but after that she will be aloud three visitors at a time. We are going to keep her for a few days but like I said she will be fine." The doctor replied.

"Where is she? I _will_ be there when she wakes up."

The doctor seemed to size me up. Apparently deciding that it would be in his best interests not to try and refuse me this, he said, "ok, only you though until she wakes. I will have a nurse come get you as soon as Ms. Brennan is settled into a room."

To this Zack, Cam, and Hodgins said at the same time, "It's Dr. Brennan." I cracked a little smile as the doctor said, "Ok, I'll make note of that. Now, I've got to get back. If you have any questions you can ask for me, I'm Dr. Samuel."

Getting a few nods of understanding he turned to walk away at which point I said "Thank you Dr." to his retreating back. He turned acknowledged me with an affirmative shake of the head and a smile and continued on his way.

Ten minutes later the battle axe RN that had stopped me following Bones into the ER earlier came in to the waiting room. She looked as if she was about to ask the room at large something until she saw me. She walked over to where I sat with Angela and Cam.

Zack had gone to get coffee for the group and Hodgins had gone on a mission to buy every flower in the gift shop and have them sent up to Bones room.

The nurse said to me "I guessing you're the one who scared young Dr. Sam into letting you see Dr. Brennan?"

To this I nodded and she replied, "well, come along then."

I looked over at Angela and she gave me a watery smile and pushed me up out of my seat and into the direction that the nurse was walking.

I followed the nurse down the hall and into a little private room. Bones was on the bed looking much better than the last time I had seen her. Breathing a great sigh of relief, I quickly walked over to Bones bed, grabbing a chair on my way. Setting one of the room's two chairs next to the bed I set down and reached out, carefully taking Bones right hand in mine.

I was completely oblivious to anything that the nurse might have said before she left or for that matter that she even existed after I saw Bones. Where the two hours in the waiting room felt like years, the two hours I sat waiting in her room with her hand in mine seemed to fly by. I sat silently, hardly moving, with a little goofy grin as the time passed and many people came and went. A few nurses came through checking up on Bones, but most of the people who came and went were from the gift shop delivering Hodgin's many flowers.

Then it happened, the hand I held squeezed mine and I nearly jumped through the ceiling.


	6. Happy Ending

From the Other Side

Chapter 6

Happy Ending

Leaning over her I said, "Bones, you back with me? That's it, let me see those eyes. Come on now, you've kept me waiting in suspense long enough."

"Booth?"

"I'm here. You're ok, everything is ok now."

"What happened?" came a groggy reply.

"You went and got yourself shot then conked your head as you fell, but your fine now. We're in the hospital."

"Did you get him?"

"Yes we definitely got him. He'll never hurt anyone again."

"Good."

"Yea, you scared me half to death you know? I had quite the little nervous breakdown in the men's room a few of hours ago. Angela had to basically carry me out."

"Well it was your turn. Last time you were here I had a breakdown of my own in the men's room."

"Well, aren't we a pair. I suppose it would be useless to chew on you about taking that blast that was meant for me."

"Yes it would, and it was mine originally anyway." she said as she tugged on my arm pulling me into the little bed with her. "What's with the flowers?"

Looking up I was surprised to see that every horizontal flat surface in the room was completely covered in flowers. "Guess you have a few admirers, looks like Hodgins bought every flower within three miles of here." Laughing a little I said, "you know, they are all out there waiting to see you."

"Let them wait just a few more minutes" she said as she snuggled down further into my chest.

"Ok, love you."

"Love you too" came a sleepy, mumbled reply.

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Author's note

Thanks for reading and please take the time to review. Oh yea, I don't own Bones.

Update: Epilogue done, next chapter, let the fluffy comedy commence.


	7. The Bet

From the Other Side

Epilogue

The Bet

We didn't sleep long; maybe thirty minutes before a nurse came in to check on Bones. Angela came in right on the nurses heals. "You're awake!"

"I am, not so loud" came Bones sleepy reply as she pulled slightly away from me and started rubbing her head.

"Why didn't you get us as soon as she woke Booth?"

"Sorry, we fell asleep."

"Yea, sure, you two just fell asleep, huh?" Angela said with slightly raised eyebrow and a smirk.

At this I realized that I was still in Bones bed and the nurse was giving me quite the death glare.

My face turned crimson and I hastily tried extricating myself from Bones arms, legs, and bunched up blankets.

Alas, I wasn't very successful, as I promptly fell out of the bed and onto my face.

"Damn it, that hurts," I grumbled as I stood from the floor holding my nose.

Angela blatantly laughed at me and Bones gave me an exasperated look.

"Really Booth, we've been living together for a year. No need to act like a child with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar."

"I'm bleeding profusely here, a little less hysterical laughter and death glares please"

"Bleeding Booth, huh? Finally push the good Doctor too far? Broke your nose, did she?" Hodgins said with a smirk as he entered.

"Oh, you big baby" this comment from Bones to me then, "No I didn't hit him Hodgins, he just fell out of bed."

"You sure you didn't hit him, because if you break his nose before Christmas then Zack and Cam owe me 50 bucks each. I'd be willing to split it with you."

"Bets off," said Cam as she entered the room. "You are not allowed to tell" she continued in a too loud conspiratorial whisper.

The blood flowing from my nose had nearly stopped now. "Oh, that's just wrong. Betting my girlfriend will abuse me. Good friends I have." I said giving said friends the evil eye even as Zack came in. He nearly dropped all the coffee he was laden down with at seeing me give him a seemingly unprovoked glare.

"Bets still good, Brennan can be totally impartial. You all know that" said Hodgins ignoring me and my death glare.

"It's true, I can be impartial"

"What, you're going along with this? You're starting to worry me a little here Bones."

"I'm with you Hodgins, I'm good for fifty" said Angela.

Cam said "ok, bets still on" and Zack gave a little half nod indicating that he was still in.

A Phone rang and everyone started digging in pockets. "Ha, ha, it's me" I said happily taking a call over this unpleasant conversation.

"Oh, its actually Bones phone, caller id says dad" no sooner had I said this than the little phone started to smoke and make a couple of unpleasant bastardized versions of Bones ring tone.

"What happened to my phone?"

"Um, nothing?"

"Booth"

"I might have crunched it a little"

"Booth I would have liked to talk to my dad, he is probably worried"

"You wouldn't hit me over a phone would you? Here you can have mine" I said handing her my little silver flip phone and sitting down next to her on the little bed.

"Man I thought that was it, I really wanted to win this one. My racing beetle hasn't been doing to good lately." Hodgins said with sad look.

"Don't worry Hodgie I got this" said Angela as she stood and pulled open her blouse.

Zack dropped his coffee and my jaw went slack in surprise. I must have been staring because a few seconds later I heard a very angry and quiet "Booth."

My brain kicked into high gear 'no, no, no…'

"Now Bones, come on, you know I love you, don't do anything you will regr…"

There was a little crunch as my nose broke.

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Author's Note:

Thanks much for reading and please review. I love me some reviews.

**Update:** New follow-up one-shot to this story is up, titled "Not Fair." It deals with what happens after the nose is broken.


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